


petal by petal

by tomefaired



Series: a link to her heart [4]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Genre: F/F, Lesbian Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Mutual Pining, Secret Admirer, Self-Indulgent, Zelink Zine, trans girl Link
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-09 03:23:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18908542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomefaired/pseuds/tomefaired
Summary: "She loves me, she loves me not." A princess and her beloved knight bound by fate, afraid to let their feelings be known... as the petals fall, one by one.(Written for the 2019 Zelink Zine.)





	petal by petal

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for Zelink Zine! Please support all of the lovely artists and authors who participated! ♡ http://zelinkzine.tumblr.com

It had been some time now since Link’s wish returned peace to Hyrule. Zelda now ruled as Hyrule’s beloved queen, with Link serving as her loyal knight. Link was ever-protective of the young queen, vigilant when patrolling the castle, and just as quiet as ever, it seemed, much to Zelda’s inner frustrations. But Zelda knew of Link’s insecurities, the emotions Link could feel when they were no longer repressed, the sweet sound of Link’s voice… _her_ voice, the voice of a courageous girl who was able to become her true self. With the magic of the Great Fairy Queen giving Link a feminine figure and Zelda’s unconditional support and acceptance, Link could finally become the confident swordswoman she always knew herself to be- when it came to combat, anyway. Because on the inside, Link held feelings that she knew she could never let into the open.

Zelda, who had offered Link guidance and saved her from death during her journey to save Hyrule from Ganon; Zelda, the only person in the world who cared about her, understood her, accepted her.

Link loved her. She’d loved Zelda for a while now, silently, secretly- yet ever strongly. She loved Zelda so much that she often found herself crying over a love she could not have and certainly didn’t deserve. Even if Zelda accepted her feelings, the relationship would never work. Zelda was queen of Hyrule, Link her appointed knight. Link had a duty to perform, and she simply couldn’t let her feelings for Zelda get in the way.

As Link patrolled the grounds of Hyrule Castle, Zelda gazed down at her longingly. Her sweet, charming knight, always ready to protect her, speaking rarely with a gruff, stoic voice… this was the girl who saved her, and all of Hyrule. It really was just like a dream, and yet Zelda was perfectly awake as she sighed.

Link, who hid the greatest courage inside her heart, having poured her desire to protect this world into the blade of the Master Sword as she risked her life to rescue her princess; Link, who heard Zelda’s voice on that fateful night and answered the call, running out into the darkness, the rain, the unknown.

Zelda loved her. Zelda loved Link ever since the night they met. Link had responded to Zelda's call, insecure, yet with a hidden longing for company. Zelda loved Link even though her father, the king, always told her that to love another girl was a crime against the goddesses; she loved Link so much that she was afraid to pry further into her beloved knight’s heart, lest Link close her heart to Zelda forever. Zelda often found it difficult to contain her feelings, but she did so out of love.

And yet Zelda couldn’t help but wonder- what would happen if she let her feelings be known? There was no way to know, but it was tempting to just let it all out once and for all…

Or, as Zelda ultimately decided, she could take the subtle route.

* * *

Waking up one morning, Link discovered that someone had slid a note under her bedroom door. _Perhaps it’s urgent,_ Link thought to herself as she unfolded the paper. A lone pink rose fell out of the inside of the envelope, with the petals matching the color of Link’s hair. The paper of the note caught her eye as well- the border was adorned with roses, and the handwriting was a beautiful cursive, done with the finest ink. And written on the page was a simple poem:

_If you knew who I was, you’d hide away_  
_But I love you much more than I can say_  
_Please let my kind words comfort you_  
_Knowing that someone loves you true._

Link sighed quietly- it would certainly help if she knew who had written these lovely words to her. Perhaps a servant? Or one of the maidens she rescued in the Dark World? She didn’t recognize the handwriting- not that she paid much attention to that anyway. It was nice to know that she was loved, but she had no way to show thanks, no way to track down the mystery person who loved her so. But she couldn’t let that distract her from her work. She had a duty to perform as Zelda’s appointed knight.

And thus the day went by as usual. Link patrolling the castle in her uniform, Zelda watching from the balcony.

“She loves me… she loves me not,” Zelda whispered to herself, picking the petals off of a pink rose as they floated into the wind, over the trees, the walls- and right past Link’s face.

Link glanced above her, wondering where the petals were coming from.

“Ahh!” Zelda yelped, quickly hiding the flower behind her back before smiling innocently, knowing her beloved knight was watching.

Link raised an eyebrow for a moment, but didn’t really think much of it. Maybe Zelda was a little bit shyer than she initially thought…

* * *

Another evening, another bout of frustration as Link remembered yet again how hard she’d fallen for Zelda, this time sitting at the dinner table with the queen and her father. The decorations were minimal, as it was just the three of them. A small glass vase with a pink rose peeking out was the only centerpiece, with a few petals having fallen onto the golden cloth, suggesting that the flower had been sitting there for some time.

Link couldn’t bring herself to pay attention to anything that was being said- all she could do was gaze at Zelda with longing, almost as if Link was caught up in a dream.

“I received a letter this morning from the king of Hytopia,” the king informed Zelda, hoping to keep her updated on current politics. “He wishes to enter into a trade agreement that would allow his country to expand their fashion market to Hyrule. I have reasons to be skeptical, the man is much too flamboyant and eccentric for my taste, but…”

“I wouldn’t judge someone based on appearances, father,” Zelda reminded him. “I will find out for myself what the terms of the agreement are first, and _then_ we can decide what to do. Makes sense, right, Link?”

“…Link? You there?”

Zelda’s voice snapped Link right out of her daydream, with her eyes now wide awake. Link’s face was bright red, and her heart was pounding fast. She felt like she could reveal everything right then and there, the words wanted to come out of her like water from a geyser.

“Link, are you okay?”

“Zelda, I have to say something,” Link spoke suddenly, almost as if a force beyond her control was responsible. “It’s important. I, um… ah…”

“What is it? Whatever it is, I can help.”

“Zelda, I… I’m-!“

But before Link could let the words come out, she ran out of the room in a panic, hoping Zelda couldn’t see the tears forming in her eyes.

“Link, wait-! No…” Zelda stood up out of her chair, ignoring her father’s stern gaze. “Please… excuse me father, I need to make sure she’s alright.”

“If you must.”

“I must and I will. Because Link… means _everything_ to me!”

* * *

Zelda searched all over the castle for Link, dashing in a panic from one room to the next, even rooms where she knew Link wasn’t usually around. A flurry of thoughts rushed through Zelda’s head as she feared for the worst. And then she remembered there was one place she hadn’t checked yet.

She ran up the stairs to the balcony, the place where she always stood to keep an eye over her favorite knight- and there was Link, standing on the other end, looking out into the distance. In her hand at her side was a familiar note and a beautiful pink rose.

Zelda knew this was not the time or place to disturb her- it was clear that Link needed a moment to herself, though Zelda could not possibly gleam what was going through Link’s mind.

Meanwhile, Link was silent, as she often was, reflecting on the words she now was certain Zelda had written. Letting the wind blow through her rose-colored hair, she read the note again, gripping the paper tightly. Perhaps she _could_ be open about her feelings, after all? Zelda was just as scared, not wanting to reveal herself in the note, and Link had been holding back for the same reasons. Surely, the only thing to do was to say something and end the silence.

But what if she was wrong, by chance? What if Zelda hadn’t written those words at all? What if Link was to confess, and everything collapsed from one miscalculation?

Link folded the paper, tucking it in the palm of her hand as she held the stem of the pink rose. “She loves me… she loves me not,” she whispered in her gruff voice, plucking the petals, one by one, casting them into the wind that carried the petals behind her.

As the petals glided past Zelda’s face, she could feel tears welling up in her eyes- the pain in her beloved knight’s heart was from love. She remembered the moments when Link cried in front of her, Link allowing herself to be vulnerable as she never did for anyone else.

_All this time, we’ve been hiding ourselves from each other… I don’t want to hide anymore. I want to tell Link how much I love her…_

Zelda quietly returned inside, letting Link contemplate her loneliness for one last night. Tomorrow, she would finally lay her feelings bare to the girl who saved her life.

* * *

Before Link woke up, Zelda wandered out into the garden behind the castle, picking the same roses that had come to represent the hidden love she and Link shared for each other. She would leave no more notes for her beloved knight- this time, Zelda wanted to go all out letting her feelings be known. She gathered the roses into a simple bouquet, tying them together with a red silk ribbon. She was a little nervous as she thought about what to say, but she was confident that she could at least get her feelings out at all. No reason to hold back now that she knew Link loved her in return.

Soon enough, Link had begun her shift for the day, in uniform and all. While patrolling the castle, she could hear a maiden’s voice singing- it was the lullaby passed down through the royal family for millennia. Link couldn’t help but follow the voice; something about it was so mysterious, yet so inviting and somehow familiar. The voice led her to the garden, awash with beauty: the flowers in a rainbow of colors, the lush greenery, and Zelda, sitting in the center of it all as she met eyes with Link, finishing her song.

“Y-your voice… it led me here,” Link muttered, her voice shaking.

“I knew it would,” Zelda admitted, her face turning red. “It’s because I have to tell you something… that I’ve been holding inside for the longest time.”

Zelda stood before Link, offering a gentle, yet nervous smile. From behind her back she presented Link with the bouquet, suddenly finding herself at a loss for words as Link often did.

“I… uh… Link-“

“Zelda…?!” Link wasn’t sure what was happening. Those were the same roses she’d received before. Zelda now held an entire bouquet of them in her hands, offering them to Link as an expression of _something_ …

The two of them stood in silence, their hearts pounding, faces red, sweat dripping, when suddenly-

_“I love you-!”_

The words escaped Zelda and Link’s lips at the same time, as if something much more powerful than them had drawn it out of them. Zelda and Link suddenly burst out laughing, relieved that they’d finally spoken the words they’d always wanted to say.

Both of them knew that in this moment, as they naturally found themselves in a tender embrace, words were no longer needed.

This wasn’t a dream and their love was _real_ \- they knew, as their lips finally met in blissful silence, that they would never again be alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to Rythen- my amazing girlfriend, best friend in the whole world, and the inspiration for this fic. I love you more than words can say.


End file.
